Into the Namib desert

Continuing Namibia reprise. Continued west from Mariental into the blank part of the map. Really empty desert country. Last year rainy season (Jan-Feb) was one of the heaviest in years so the luxuriant dry grass we were seeing was really lush in comparison to normal. All gravel roads from here on as we drove into the Namib-Naukluft National Park. Car rental agency had a sticker on the speedometer that said 60 km/hr limit for gravel (120 km/hr paved). That was a bit conservative, but when the gravel was like marbles and the car was going who knows where it seemed a good idea to slow down.

In the miniscule town of Stampriet we stopped for gas and the ladies went looking for a toilet. I wandered into the "takeway" shop next door. I had started to always buy a soft drink at these places as a way of getting to talk to people, and as a way to simply slow down to match the local velocity. While I was debating the merits of diet coke with the white guy behind the counter we got around to the fact that last night he had had a grand daughter born. Seemed he had grown up in that town, moved away and later retired and came back. Bought the banker's house, since the bank was long gone, opened the shop and settled in.

Turned out the women folk had been invited into that house to use the facilities. The place was in quite a turmoil with guests arriving and celebrations getting prepared but the people were kind enough to invite in some strangers. Couldn't have captured the Namibian spirit any better.

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Our stay that night was at the Le Mirage Desert Lodge. I swear we were all laughing out load when we saw this moorish fantasy appear (picture). It's actually very nice, if quirky. The local attractions are the red dunes and the vlei's and the endless desert in between. Vlei's are small dry lakes trapped by the dunes that get water every few years and erupt with life. No water now. Signed up for the morning tour to see the sites.

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